Method of positioning and supporting a machine

ABSTRACT

A method or system of positioning and supporting a large industrial machine or other object on its foundation comprising placing hydraulic jacking units between the machine and the foundation, pressurizing the jacking units with a hardenable liquid to move the object relative to the foundation to a selected position, maintaining the liquid in the jacking units under pressure so as to support the machine in its selected position, and effecting the hardening of the liquid to fix the jacking units in their selected positions. Apparatus for carrying out the method of this invention is also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for positioning andsupporting an object, such as heavy mechanical equipment or a largestationary machine.

Large stationary machines, such as air compressors, components of arolling mill, or other industrial equipment, must be rigidly secured totheir foundations and in many instances must be accurately positionedrelative to other equipment. Typically, these large machines are mountedon reinforced concrete foundations and are accurately positioned thereonby means of jack screws or the like. With the machine supported in itsdesired position, precision-machined shims are installed between thesupport points or pads of the machine and the foundation so that themachine is accurately positioned and supported in its selected position.These precision-machined shims are costly and time-consuming tomanufacture and install. With the machine supported on the shims,grouting mix, such as an aggregate-containing epoxy resin or the like,is poured between the machine base and the foundation. After thegrouting mix has hardened, anchor bolts are tightened to secure themachine to the foundation and prevent any upward or lateral movement.

Typically, machinery which is mounted in the above-described manneroperates continuously and is subject to vibrational and other cyclicloading. Over a period of time, this loading may cause the groutingbeneath the machine to degrade and deteriorate so that the machine mustbe periodically reset on its foundation. With conventional machinemounting systems, the machine must be removed from its foundation andthe grouting mix chipped away. The machine is then repositioned,reshimmed, regrouted and rebolted to the foundation. This resettingprocedure is costly and frequently entails several weeks' time duringwhich the machine is out of operation or "down". This may requireshutdown of an entire plant or a product line with consequent great lossof revenue.

Adjustable machine supports, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,562,are known which use steel balls within a piston and cylinder arrangementto support a machine. However, these adjustable machine supports,particularly where access to the support is limited, may be difficult toadjust for accurate positioning of the machine. Also, systems, such asshown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,853, are known in which an epoxy resin isinjected into voids in the grouting beneath a machine base to fill thevoids.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provisionof a system or method of setting or resetting a heavy machine or thelike on its foundation in which a plurality of support points of themachine may be readily and accurately adjusted so as to preciselyposition the machine in a desired position; the provision of such asystem which does not require that the machine be removed from itsfoundation for resetting of the machine; the provision of such a systemwhich solidly supports the machine in its desired position; theprovision of such a system which substantially reduces the cost and thedowntime required to mount or to reset a machine; and the provision of ahydraulic jacking unit which enables a heavy machine to be accuratelypositioned and which solidly supports the machine in its desiredposition. Other objects and features of this invention will be in partapparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Briefly, the method of this invention for positioning and supporting anobject, such as a large machine or other structure, on a foundationcomprises the steps of placing a plurality of hydraulic jack unitsbetween the foundation and the object, and introducing a liquid underpressure into each of the jacking units to move the object relative tothe foundation to a selected position. This liquid constitutes ahydraulic working fluid and is hardenable to form a solid substantiallywithout expanding or contracting as it hardens. The system furtherincludes the steps of maintaining the liquid in each of the jackingunits under pressure so as to support the object in its selectedposition, and effecting the hardening of the liquid maintained in eachof the jacking units to fix the jacking units in their respectivepositions with the object supported in its selected position.

A jacking unit of the present invention comprises a cylinder and pistondefining an expansible chamber having opposed cylinder and piston facesfor receiving a pressurized, hardenable liquid, such as an epoxy resinmixed with a suitable hardener or catalyst, for relative extension ofthe cylinder and piston. The piston face protrudes outwardly beyond thebody of the piston with the outermost protruding portion of the pistonface being at the center thereof. The cylinder face has a pocket thereinin line with the outermost portion of piston face, the latter beingsurrounded by a space for liquid when the cylinder and piston faces arerelatively retracted, this space constituting a portion of the chamber.The jack further has an inlet for the flow of the liquid into the spaceand an outlet extending from the pocket for exit of air from the chamberas the liquid enters the space, and means for closing the inlet and theoutlet whereby with the cylinder and piston pressurized by the liquidand with the cylinder and piston in a selected relatively extendedposition the closing means is operable to entrap the liquid within thechamber to hold the cylinder and piston at their stated extendedposition and to permit the liquid to harden thereby to fix the cylinderand piston in their stated extended position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an object or a machine which is to beaccurately positioned on its foundation by the method of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a pocket or recess formed in the foundation below amounting flange on the object with a hydraulic jacking unit of thepresent invention installed in a recess in the foundation, with parts ofthe jacking unit broken away;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the jacking unit pressurizedto lift the machine clear of the foundation, the distance the machine islifted clear of the foundation being exaggerated for purposes ofillustration;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing the object positionedin its selected position with the jacking unit fixed to support theobject and with the recess filled with grouting;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a jacking unit of the present invention with aportion of its cylinder block broken away to illustrate a cylinder andpiston therein; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical section of the jacking unit taken along line 6--6of FIG. 5.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, a heavymachine 1, such as a large piece of stationary mechanical equipment orthe like, is shown resting on its foundation F. For example, object 1may be a large industrial air compressor rated at 6,000 horsepower ormore and weighing fifty to one hundred tons. Typically, these machinesare secured to their foundations by a plurality (e.g., six are shown inFIG. 1) of anchor bolts 3 securely imbedded in foundation F. The lattermay be a large monolithic mass of reinforced concrete weighing severaltimes as much as the machine to be mounted thereon. As shown, the aircompressor has a base 5 including support points or pads constituted bymounting flanges or feet 7 having bolt holes 9 therethrough forreception of respective anchor bolts 3. These mounting flanges arerigidly secured to the machine (e.g., they may be integrally cast withthe machine frame). In mounting a large stationary machine, it isusually essential that it be precisely positioned and leveled. Forexample, the rolls of a rolling mill or the like must be positioned andleveled to be within 0.001 in. (0.025 mm.) of a desired position. Forother machinery, such as an air compressor, it need not only be asaccurately positioned, but is is essential that it be so supported onits base that its crankshaft is free of deflection. This may requiretrial and error adjustment of the mounting flanges 7 of the machineuntil the deflection of the crankshaft axis is elminated.

The method or system of this invention involves accurately positioningand supporting object or machine 1 on its foundation F. The methoddescribed below is a system for resetting objects previously mounted ina conventional manner which must be repositioned and remounted. However,it will be understood that the system of this invention may also be usedto initially position an object on its foundation. In accordance withthe method or system of this invention anchor bolts 3 are first unboltedto free the machine from its foundation F. As shown in FIG. 1, pocketsor recesses 11 are formed in foundation F immediately below eachmounting flange 7 of the machine. For previously installed machines,these recesses may be formed by jack-hammering away a portion of thefoundation. For new installations, the concrete foundation may be pouredwith the recesses formed therein. Anchor bolts 3 extend up through theserecesses. It will be understood that, when recesses 11 are formed, theanchor bolts remain solidly imbedded in the foundation. It will also benoted that with recesses 11 formed adjacent mounting flanges 7, base 5of the machine is still supported on the foundation intermediate therecesses thereby making it unnecessary to lift or remove the machinefrom the foundation for resetting purposes.

A hydraulic jacking unit, as generally indicated at 13 (e.g., ahydraulically adjustable sole plate) is positioned in each recess 11below a respective mounting flange 7. The bottom or recess 11 is clearedof loose concrete or other debris and is made relatively flat so as toprovide a solid support for the jacking unit.

Referring now to FIG. 6 each jacking unit 13 is shown to comprise a baseplate 15 which rests on the bottom of recess 11. A stationary piston 17is pivotally secured to the upper face of base plate 15 by means of aball swivel 19 which permits swiveling movement of the piston relativeto the base plate about any axis. The jacking unit further includes acylinder block 21 having a cylinder 23 therein for reception of piston17. As indicated at 24, the upper face of cylinder block 21 is machinedflat so as to insure uniform contact with mounting flanges 7 of machine1.

Ball swivel 19 permits piston 17 and cylinder block 21 to beself-aligning with respect to base plate 15 so as to enable surface 24to uniformly engage the bottom of mounting flange 7 with the base plateresting on the bottom of recess 11. Piston 17 has an O-ring seal 25received in a circumferential groove 27 around its outer end, the sealproviding a sliding, sealing fit between the walls of cylinder 23 andthe piston. Cylinder 23 has an inner end face 29 and piston 17 has anouter end face 31, these faces being opposed to one another. The portionof cylinder 23 between piston face 31 and cylinder face 19 forms anexpansible chamber 32 for purposes as will appear. Piston end face 31protrudes out beyond the end of the piston with the outermost portion ofthe piston face, as indicated at 33, being at the center thereof.Specifically, piston face 31 is shown to be conical, however it will beunderstood that also may be dome-shaped. Piston and cylinder faces 31and 29, respectively, are movable relative to one another between aretracted position in which the faces are closely spaced relative to oneanother and an extended position. With the piston and cylinder in theirstated retracted positions, an annular space 35 surrounds the outermostportion 33 of piston face 31. Cylinder face 29 has a pocket recess 37therein at the center thereof. Cylinder 23 has an inlet port 39 adjacentcylinder face 29 for the introduction of a hardenable liquid, as will behereinafter specified, constituting a hydraulic working fluid, intochamber 32 for pressurizing cylinder face 29 and piston face 31 so as toeffect relative extension of the cylinder and piston. Cylinder 23 alsohas an outlet port 41 in communication with pocket 37 for exit of airfrom chamber 32 as the hydraulic working fluid enters this chamber.Outlet port 41 is internally threaded for receiving a plug 43 to closethe outlet port once air has been expelled from within chamber 32. Aone-way valve fitting 44, such as a button-type high-pressure greasefitting with a ball-check valve incorporated therein, is installed ininlet port 39 so as to permit flow of liquid into chamber 32 and toprevent exit of the liquid therefrom. As shown in FIG. 1, hydraulicjacking unit 13 may be pressurized by a piston-type hand pump 45 havinga flexible pressure hose 46 adapted to be snapped onto fitting 44thereby to permit the flow of fluid into the jacking unit. Upondiscontinuing pumping of pump 45, the fitting automatically closes andseals the jacking unit, entrapping the hydraulic fluid within the unit.As indicated at 47, in FIG. 5, cylinder block 21 may optionally have anopen slot therein for partially surrounding a respective anchor bolt 3thereby to insure that the jacking unit is held captive to and properlypositioned with respect to the anchor bolt and to mounting flanges 7.

With jacking units 13 in place in recesses 11, shims 48 may optionallybe placed between base plate 15 and the bottom of the recess so as tobring the top surface 24 of the cylinder block 21 into contact with thebottom surface of a respective machine mounting flange 7. With all ofthe jacking units in place, a hardenable liquid, as hereinafterspecified, is introduced into each jacking unit under pressure via itsinlet port 39 and fitting 44 thereby to fill chamber 32 with liquid andto force all air within the chamber out of outlet 41. Pocket recess 37formed in cylinder face 29 and the outwardly protruding piston end face31 insure that liquid entering chamber 32 completely fills the chamberwithout forming voids therein and that all the air is exhausted from thechamber via outlet 41. When liquid flows out of outlet 41, the outletport is capped by plug 43. The jacking unit is then pressurized byintroducing more liquid into the chamber so as to effect relativemovement of piston 17 and cylinder block 21 to lift machine 1 clear ofits foundation F (see FIG. 3).

In accordance with the system or method of this invention, the liquidused to pressurize jacking units 13 is a hardenable liquid, such as aliquid epoxy resin mixed with a conventional catalyst or hardener. Onesuch epoxy resin is commercially available under the trade designation"Escoweld 7505", sold by the Enjay Chemical Company of Houston, Tex. inwhich the volumetric ratio of resin to hardener or catalyst is about2.5:1. At room temperature (i.e., at 77° F. or 25°C.) the blended resinhas a viscosity ranging between 1100 and 1300 centipoises (Fann Model 35viscometer), a density of 8.9 pounds/gallon 1.06 kg./l.), and a potlifeof 50 minutes. By cooling the resin below 60°F., the pot life can begreatly extended. At 77°F. (25°C.), a 50 g. mass of blended resin willbe 75% cured after 30 hours, while at 110°F. (43°C.), it will be 95%cured after 2 hours. The blended resin has an adhesive shear incompression (ASTM-D-905) of 2600 psi. It is particularly important thatupon curing the resin has no appreciable expansion or contraction. Othersuitable epoxy resins having similar properties are commerciallyavailable from Epoxy Technology Inc. of Watertown, Mass., and fromBonded Products, Inc. of Westchester, Pa. It will be understood thatother types of synthetic resin materials, preferably thermosetting,which have generally similar properties and will change state from aliquid to a solid without significant expansion or contraction, may beused as the hydraulic fluid to pressurize the jacking units.

As previously mentioned, jacking units 13 may be pressurized byattaching pressure hose 46 from hand pump 45, for example (see FIG. 1),to fitting 44 and by pumping the hardenable epoxy resin into chamber 32.With outlet port 41 plugged by screw plug 43 after the air has been bledor removed from within chamber 32 in the manner heretofore specified,introduction of the liquid into the chamber causes cylinder block 21 tomove relative to piston 17 away from the base plate 15 to lift andsupport machine 1. As previously mentioned, when hose 46 is removed fromfitting 44, the latter automatically closes to entrap the liquid in thechamber and to maintain it under pressure so as to support the machinein a desired elevation or position. In this manner, each of the jackingunits 13 is pressurized and extended so as to lift the entire machineclear of foundation F and clear of any previously poured groutingmaterial thereon. For example, the machine is initially lifted0.060-0.075 in. (1.5-1.9 mm.) in order to insure complete separation ofthe machine from the foundation. By requiring that the machine only needbe lifted a relatively small distance, piping previously connected tomachine 1 need not be disconnected and repositioned, thus savingconsiderable time in remounting a machine.

Typically, the selected position for the machine is above itsabove-described lifted or selected position in which the machine isclear of foundation F. To position the machine in its selected position,jacking units 3 at the center of the machine are first pressurized tolift the center of the machine to its selected position and the outerunits are then appropriately pressurized. The selected position may beestablished by dial indicators 49 (see FIG. 1) attached to the frame ofthe machine which register the displacement of the machine relative tofoundation F or to another stationary reference. For example, thedesired location of the machine may be established by determining thedistance each of the mounting flanges 7 must be elevated from its raisedposition so as to position a reference point on the machine at a desiredlevel. Means other than dial indicators may, of course, be used toprecisely locate and align machine 1. For example, targets may be placedon the machine and optical transits or other measuring instruments maybe utilized to align these targets with a desired reference.

It will be understood that during positioning of the machine preciseadjustment of each of the jacking pads is usually required. For example,a typical cylinder 23 in a jacking unit 13 may have a diameter of 5.000in. (127 mm.), and hand pump 45 may be a conventional high-pressure(1500 psi) grease gun. For each full stroke of the hand pump, cylinderblock 21 is moved 0.0005 in. (0.013 mm.). Thus, each of the jackingunits may be precisely adjusted merely by stroking the hand pump. Uponobtaining a selected position for a jacking unit, hose 46 is removedfrom fitting 44 and the liquid will remain entrapped within chamber 32.The jacking units may be lowered by loosening plug 43 and allowing aquantity of the liquid to be vented from cylinder 23. Because of theease which each of the jacking units may be adjusted to support themachine in its selected position, the system of this invention enablesmuch more rapid and easy positioning of the machine. It will beunderstood that, for other jobs in which the object 1 to be repositionedis heavier or lighter, the diameter of piston 17 and cylinder 23 may bevaried in accordance with the load each jacking unit 13 is required tosupport. Thus, the effective pressure area of the jacking units may bevaried to as to increase the load it can lift while maintaining itsworking pressures within desired limits.

With machine 1 in its desired or selected position and with each of thejacking units 13 closed (i.e., hose 46 is removed from fitting 44, thuscausing the fitting to instantly close, entrapping the hardenable liquidtherewithin), the entrapped liquid is allowed to set for a timesufficient to effect the hardening of the liquids within the jackingunits thereby to fix the jacking units in their respective selectedpositions with the machine supported in its selected position. Hardeningof the liquid may be accelerated by elevating the temperature of thejacking units to approximately 110°F. (43°C.) so that the liquid willharden in approximately 2 hours. As the liquid exhibits no significantexpansion or contraction upon hardening, object 1 remains in itsselected position as the liquid hardens. The temperature of the liquidmay be raised by shrouding the machine and introducing heated air intothe shroud, or by locally heating each jacking unit.

With machine 1 supported on foundation F by jacking units 13, recesses11 in the foundation F are filled with a grouting mixture G whichsurrounds the jacking units to securely hold them in position on thefoundation. While any of the customary grouts may be used, preferably anepoxy resin-hardener blend such as specified above, but containing anaggregate of fine white sand or the like, is utilized. A dam or form 53(see FIG. 4) is placed across the outer opening of recesses 11 in thesides of foundation F. Prior to pouring the grouting mixture into therecesses, it is preferred that each anchor bolt be coated with asuitable release agent, such as paraffin wax, and surrounded by a sleeve55 of rubber tubing or the like to shield the anchor bolt from thegrouting mix and to prevent the latter from adhering thereto. Thegrouting mix is then poured in the recesses to surround the jacking unitand the shielded anchor bolt therein. This grouting mixture may bepoured in recesses 11 as soon as the jacking units 13 have been adjustedto support the machine in its selected position. Thus, the groutingmixture may be hardened at the same time as the liquid within thejacking units is hardened. It will be noted that this saves considerabletime.

In accordance with the system of this invention the entire weight of themachine is supported by jacking units 13 which bear solidly onfoundation F, and the grout does not support any part of the machineweight.

With the object 1 supported by jacking units 13 and by the hardenedliquid therewithin and with the grouting mix poured in recesses 11hardened, nuts 57 are threaded an anchor bolts 3 and tightened in asequence, as may be specified by the manufacturer of the machine beingmounted, to a predetermined pre-load level thereby to secure the objecton the foundation. With these anchor bolts preloaded under a specifiedtension load, machine 1 is prevented from moving relative to foundationF. It will be understood that jacking units 13 carry both the fullweight of the machine and also the pre-load of the anchor bolts.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methodswithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. The method of positioning and supporting anobject, such as a large machine or other structure, on a foundationcomprising the steps of:placing a plurality of hydraulic jack unitsbetween the foundation and the object; introducing a liquid underpressure into each of said jacking units to move the object relative tothe foundation to a selected position, said liquid constituting ahydraulic working fluid and being hardenable to form a solidsubstantially without expanding or contracting as it hardens;maintaining said liquid in each of said jacking units under pressure soas to support said object in its selected position; and effecting thehardening of said liquid maintained in each of said jacking units to fixsaid jacking units in their respective positions with the objectsupported in its selected position.
 2. The method of claim 1 whichincludes the further step of securing the object to the foundation aftersaid object is supported in its selected position and the liquid hashardened.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of securing theobject to the foundation comprises bolting the object to the foundationimmediately adjacent at least some of said jacking units thereby toprevent relative movement between the object and the foundation.
 4. Themethod of claim 1 which further comprises closing each of said jackingunits so as to entrap said liquid therewithin, said entrapped liquidsupporting the object in its selected position, while the liquidhardens.
 5. The method of claim 1 which further comprises thepreliminary step of forming recesses in said foundation for reception ofsaid jacking units.
 6. The method of claim 5 which comprises the furtherstep of introducing a hardenable grouting mix into said recesses tosurround the jacking units with the latter in their fixed positions. 7.The method of claim 1 wherein said hydraulic fluid is an epoxy resinmixed with a suitable hardening agent or catalyst, and wherein said stepof effecting hardening of said liquid comprises permitting said resin insaid jacking units to stand for a sufficient time to permit said resinto harden.
 8. The method of claim 7 which further comprises heating theresin within said jacking units so as to reduce the time required forthe resin to harden.
 9. The method of claim 1 which further comprisesintroducing said liquid into said jacking units to remove air fromwithin, this last said step being done prior to pressurizing saidjacking units for positioning said object.
 10. The method of claim 9wherein each of said jacking units has an inlet for the introduction ofsaid liquid and an outlet for the exit of air and said liquid fromwithin the jacking units, said inlet being located below the level ofsaid outlet, and wherein said step of introducing liquid into each ofsaid jacking units involves opening said outlet and introducing theliquid into the jacking unit via said inlet until the liquid flows outof said outlet thereby removing all air from within the jacking unit,and then closing the outlet.
 11. The method of claim 6 wherein anchorbolts extend up from said recesses for securement to said object, saidmethod further comprising the step of shielding the anchor bolts forpreventing said grouting mix from adhering thereto.